A dialogue on the South China Sea between Chinese and US think tanks was held in Washington DC on Tuesday. The dialogue came at the right time as political forces of the US and the Philippines are now meddling in the waters of the South China Sea.
The South China Sea has become a growing source of tension between China and the US
As a country outside the region, the US is not directly concerned with the South China Sea issue. But in the last few years, the US has been aggravating the tension in the area by using the South China Sea issue as a tool to achieve its own strategic interests.
After then US Secretary of State proclaimed the country’s re-entry into Asia-Pacific in 2009, senior US officials have been hyping the South China Sea issue on different occasions and pointing fingers at China’s claims. They even instigated regional countries including the Philippines to make troubles for China.
For instance, freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is not a problem, but the US has labeled it one for its own interests. The Pentagon even flexed its military muscle by deploying aircraft carriers, strategic bombers and missile destroyers.
What the US did greatly increased risks in the region, but it at the same time cemented China’s determination and capability to safeguard its own interests and rights. The US must bear this fact in mind.
The dialogue also focused on how to prevent the South China Sea issue from dominating the China-US ties and generating a “negative spillover effect.”
At this time, the US must reevaluate its South China Sea policy with the big picture of China-US ties in mind.
China hopes the US can make a rational choice between risk control and brinkmanship, but at the same time China is also well prepared for any risky actions the US might take. A wise choice for the US would be to play a constructive role in the South China Sea issue.
For a long time, China has been developing Sino-US relations with a long-term and strategic view, and committed itself to managing divergences in a constructive manner.
In the Asia-Pacific region where the two countries share common interests, China is also willing to work with the US to defend regional stability and prosperity by building an inclusive “friendship network” together.
However, if the US sticks to its brinkmanship, it will possibly accelerate the tension in the South China Sea.
China has rock-solid determination to safeguard its sovereignty and territory. It will not ask for anything that doesn’t belong to it, but will fight for every inch of its territory within its sovereignty.
Michael Swaine, a senior researcher with Carnegie Endowment for International Peace once wrote in an article that the ongoing dispute over the South China Sea threatens to drive China-US relations permanently in a far more adversarial, zero-sum direction and destabilize the region.
His words are not sensational given the regional influence of both China and the US. The risky actions of the US may bring temporary sensations, but it will definitely pay the price once it crosses the bottom line drawn by China.
美国不要在南海问题上冲撞底线（钟声）
7月5日，中美智库南海问题对话会在华盛顿举行。在美国、菲律宾一些政治力量极力借南海仲裁案扰乱南海局势的背景下，这样一场对话会来得很及时，对于美国战略界人士更清醒认识中国维护自身正当权益的意志和能力、更理性思考美国在南海问题上所应扮演的角色，客观上都会有帮助。
南海问题本不是中国同美国之间的问题，但过去几年的事实清清楚楚表明，正是身为域外国家的美国把南海问题当作推进自身战略目标的现实抓手，才导致南海局势不断趋向紧张。
2009年夏天，时任美国国务卿在东南亚高调宣布“美国回来了”。自此以后，美国高官在各个场合渲染南海问题，对中国合理主张说三道四，极力推动菲律宾等地区国家站出来给中国制造麻烦。南海航行自由根本不存在问题，但是因为美国需要它有问题，就生生炒热了一个伪命题。五角大楼甚至抖出了航空母舰、战略轰炸机、导弹驱逐舰等各色压箱底家当。美国所言所行，大大加剧了南海地区和平稳定面临的现实风险。然而，制造事端者理应搞清楚，中国捍卫自身利益的决心和能力只会因此而进一步增强。
此次对话会上有一个分议题聚焦该如何不让南海问题定义中美关系，如何防止南海问题产生更多“负外溢”效应。南海问题演进到当下这个阶段，美国尤须从中美关系发展的大局出发，对自身南海政策做一番重新评估。是及时加强风险管控，避免事态进一步走向恶化，还是继续搞“边缘政策”，企图靠施压把中国吓唬住？中国希望美国做出理性选择，但也对美国可能的任性之举有足够的防范。
在南海问题上发挥建设性作用，是美国应该作出的选择。一直以来，中国坚持以长远的眼光和战略的视野把握和推进中美关系，主张以建设性方式管控两国间的分歧。在中美两国利益“近身接触”的亚太地区，中国也愿意同美国培育共同而非排他的“朋友圈”，共同做地区繁荣稳定的建设者和守护者。
然而，如果美国不计代价地选择施压唬人的“边缘政策”，那么结果只有一个，即美方为南海局势可能出现的进一步紧张承担全部责任。在南海问题上，中国维护国家主权和领土完整的意志坚如磐石。不是中国的，一分不要。该是中国的，寸土必保。对此，任何人都不应心存侥幸和幻想。
参加此次对话会的卡内基国际和平基金会高级研究员史文此前曾在文章中写到，南海问题上“此起彼伏的争端”可能会“对中美关系造成永久性损害，造成亚洲地区的局势动荡”。考虑到中美两国在地区格局中的影响力，这样的警示恐怕并不是耸人听闻。美国在南海问题上的任性之举或许可以制造轰动一时的效应，但任何事情都是有底线的，一旦玩过了头就要付出代价。
Source: People’s Daily/NewsGhana.com.gh
